Submit an essay and photo to show your passion for hockey and help make Corpus Christi Kraft Hockeyville by visiting KraftHockeyville.com or AmericanBankCenter.com/voteicerays. Deadline is March 11.
Bring a National League Hockey game to Corpus Christi and help the IceRays win $150,000 in arena upgrades for city’s home team, by telling your hockey story. The IceRays and American Bank Center announced a joint effort to have Corpus Christi named Kraft Hockeyville in a nationwide search for the most passionate hockey community in the U.S.
“The IceRays have become part of the fabric in Corpus Christi since the team’s introduction in 1998,” said Collin Schuck, IceRays director of broadcasting and media relations at a press conference Feb. 17. “While hockey is the main product of the organization, the IceRays have shared a ‘community first’ approach in not only catering to the hopes and needs of individuals and groups, but keeping the great people of Corpus Christi at the forefront of the organization’s entertainment.”
In its 18 years as a successful — and popular — hockey franchise in a seaside city, the IceRays have been strong contributing partners in the community. Programs include amateur hockey leagues for kids and adults and a team that thrives on community involvement by volunteering for a variety of organizaitons from the Food Bank to Habitat for Humanity.
The team publically supports several non-profit organizations by sponsoring events such as “Pink in the Rink” to benefit the American Cancer Society and Childhood Cancer Awareness Night for Brooke Hester’s organization Brooke’s Blossoms. Brooke died in 2015 at the age of 8 from neuroblastoma. She was one of the team's biggest fans.
Stories about these contributions and this beach community’s love of the ice-bound game are needed to crown Corpus Christi Kraft Hockeyville, said General Manager Pat Dunn.
“I hear these stories every day when I go out in the community, even at the grocery store,” he said. “We need those stories. There is no doubt in my mind that this passionate community will rally behind us to get nominated to be Kraft Hockeyville.”
To get involved and help in the initiative, community members are urged log on to either KraftHockeyville.com or AmericanBankCenter.com/voteicerays, submit an essay and photo to nominate the American Bank Center, sharing their hockey experiences in Corpus Christi with the selection committee, and spreading the message to friends and family. The nomination period ends March 11, and the committee determines the top-10 communities. The competition continues into swift, rapid voting stages until two communities remain and the winner is announced live on national television during a NHL game.
Last year, the city of Johnstown, Penn., was crowned Kraft Hockeyville in the inaugural competition.
“The IceRays are truly a class-act organization, and it’s such a pleasure to have them as one of our anchor tenants,” said said SMG marketing and media relations manager Kristen Bily. SMG is the managing company for the American Bank Center. “The IceRays have managed to make hockey work in South Texas for over 18 years, and that is something truly impressive. The benefit of having an NHL game would be a great accomplishment not only for the American Bank Center but also the city of Corpus Christi. We encourage everybody to start voting and support this.”
Learn more about the team with "the biggest heart on ice" in a story published in Corpus Christi Business News, Nov. 11, 2014.
